MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – What’s better than BBQ, food trucks, a Craft Beer Garden, and a beautiful day? The fact that on April 29th, everyone can spend their Saturday this way in the heart of Murfreesboro.

For the fifth year straight, the Murfreesboro Breakfast Rotary Club, in partnership with The Hoof BBQ restaurant, is bringing the public competition-style barbecue at the annual Backyard BBQ Festival. The festival will be held on Saturday April 29, 2017 from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Cannonsburgh Pioneer Village. The event is free and open to the public. Festivities and food begin at 10 a.m.

More than 30 competitors hailing from Tennessee and Alabama will haul their smokers into Murfreesboro, prepare rubs, bastes, and sauces, then smoke chicken and ribs to perfection in this KCBS-sanctioned event. The total purse is $5,000.

Nine high schools will compete for a cash prize and bragging rights as the best culinary program in the mid-state. Blackman, McGavock, Stewart’s Creek, Glencliff, Gallatin, Smyrna, Oakland, and Siegel High will be represented with accomplished culinary squads. Steaks for the event are being donated by Farrar Farms’ Lynchburg Beef. Each culinary team receive their cut of beef in the morning, and have several hours to prepare the steak, set up plating, and rehearse their presentation before three KCBS-certified judges. Murfreesboro Water & Sewer is also a sponsor of this event.

Celebrity Rib Eating Contest will also be held this day on site. From local politicians to sports leaders to newspaper editors, folks you know will get messy trying to be the first to strip a slab of ribs from Slick Pig. RAI Advisors is sponsoring this event.

Visitors can purchase BBQ from several vendors, including The Hoof, and those of age can buy a wristband to enjoy 10 craft beers throughout the day, sponsored by TN Craft Distributors. Several food trucks will also be on site during the day.

The Swine & Wine fundraising dinner will be held on the evening before the event, April 28. The dinner will be under a tent at the festival venue and include barbeque from The Hoof, wine from Stones River Total Beverage, beer by Mayday Brewery, and access to a cash bar. Dinner tickets will are $50 and can be purchased on our website.

The Backyard BBQ Festival is the club’s top fundraising event and 50% of its revenues will support Project One Four’s Miracle Field. The other 50% will be distributed to dozens of other non-profits through the club’s Special Gifts Program.

The Murfreesboro Breakfast Rotary Club is a part of Rotary International which is a worldwide organization of business and professional men and women dedicated to providing humanitarian services, encouraging high moral standards, and promoting peace throughout the world. Through its many diverse missions and projects Rotary also seeks to encourage its members to engage in active public service, public welfare, and to exemplify sound standards of conduct in local civic and community affairs. Rotarians strive to impact the community in which they live with manpower, talent, leadership, guidance and financial support.
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